Do you need a US import license?
No — CBP itself does not require a general license or permit to import into the US. What exists instead is commodity-specific regulation: agencies like the FDA (food, cosmetics, medical), USDA (plants, animal products), EPA, DOT, CPSC, and FTC require permits, registrations, or compliance for their product families, enforced at the border by CBP. So the real question isn't 'do I need an import license' but 'which agency regulates my product' — for many general-merchandise categories the answer is none, and you can import without any license, with or without a customs broker.
How to check your product in the right order
First, identify your product's regulating agency, if any — CBP's own examples: FDA for food, drugs, cosmetics, and radiation-emitting devices; USDA for agricultural products; EPA for vehicles/engines and chemicals; CPSC for consumer product safety (toys and children's products carry testing/certification duties); FTC for textile labeling. Regulated goods also drag a customs bond requirement at any value.
Second, know your entry lane: under $2,500 of unregulated goods usually clears as an informal entry with minimal paperwork; at $2,500 or more you're in formal entry territory — importer number (CBP Form 5106), entry forms, and a bond. You may self-file or use a broker; either way the importer of record carries the legal responsibility.
Common questions
- Does this apply to dropshipped parcels to my US customers?
- Individual consumer parcels are typically informal entries with your buyer or the carrier's process handling entry — but the de minimis suspension means duties apply regardless. If YOU become the importer of record (bulk stock, FBA), this page is your checklist.
- Is a professional review ever warranted?
- Yes — for FDA/USDA-touching products (food, cosmetics, supplements, seeds), get the pathway confirmed by a broker or the agency before ordering inventory. Border refusals of regulated goods are total losses.
Official sources behind these numbers
- CBP does not require an importer to have a license or permit; other agencies may require a permit, license, or other certification depending on the commodity, with CBP acting in an administrative capacity for them. CBP · verified 2026-07-22
- CBP's named examples of other agencies whose requirements (licenses/permits) an importer must satisfy: FDA, EPA, DOT, CPSC, FTC, USDA; commodity examples with agency requirements include firearms and food, and formal-entry special requirements can include quota and visa. CBP · verified 2026-07-22
- Importers may make entry on their own behalf without any license, or hire a customs broker; brokers conducting customs business on behalf of others must hold a valid CBP-issued Customs Broker license. CBP · verified 2026-07-22
- Even when using a customs broker, the importer of record remains ultimately responsible for the correctness of the entry documentation presented to CBP and for all applicable duties, taxes, and fees. CBP · verified 2026-07-22
- Informal entries (usually valued under $2,500, personal or commercial) can be processed on the spot at the port; they may not be used for commercial importations of goods subject to quota, anti-dumping, or countervailing duties, and some high-risk products may not enter informally regardless of value. CBP · verified 2026-07-22
- Formal entries (goods valued at $2,500 or more) require CBP Form 5106 (importer number), Form 7501 (Entry Summary), a release document, and purchase of a customs bond (or cash posted in lieu of bond); the bond or cash is held until liquidation, up to one year after release. CBP · verified 2026-07-22